Ritz-Carlton or Four Seasons: Which Hotels Are Better?
TPG reader Whitney tweeted me to ask:
@thepointsguy — "If you had to choose between Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons hotels, which would you pick?"
I won't lie, I like staying at fancy hotels. I've stayed at some really nice Four Seasons properties; in fact, I absolutely love the Four Seasons Gresham Palace Budapest.
Aside from specific properties, I would have to say I prefer Ritz-Carlton, simply because of the points program. Ritz-Carlton Rewards is basically identical to Marriott Rewards, except it's specialized for Ritz. You can get the co-branded Ritz-Carlton Rewards Credit Card, which can be really lucrative if you know how to use it.
However, setting cost and rewards aside, I would probably go with Four Seasons. I think they generally have a higher level of service, and their properties are swankier and more unique. Of course, quality varies within any chain, but there are some pretty beat-up Ritz-Carlton hotels out there.
For points and value I'd stick with Ritz-Carlton, and for a splurge I like Four Seasons. However, since I always love a good value using points, I guess in the end I'd have to say Ritz.
If you have any other questions, please tweet me @thepointsguy, message me on Facebook, or send me an email at info@thepointsguy.com.
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